I'm considering buying a big second hand tank and wondering what might be the life expectancy of silicone seals if presumably carefully maintained. The silicone around my shower doesn't last for ever, so is it the same with the silicone used in aquariums? It's an Evolution Aqua I'm looking at so probably around 5 years old.
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Life expectancy of aquarium silicone ?
- Thread starter Malarky
- Start date
That is a good question and a good analogy too!
I dont know the answer but it can most certainly last more than five year in a fish tank, I have had tanks running for 10 years.
There may be some circumstances that make a difference, perhaps being permanently submerged and not being disturbed will make it last longer than the silicone around your bathroom sink.
Silicone may well stick better to glass than ceramic tiles and porcelain and I would say generally speaking aquarium silicone is much better quality than B&Q special.
I dont know the answer but it can most certainly last more than five year in a fish tank, I have had tanks running for 10 years.
There may be some circumstances that make a difference, perhaps being permanently submerged and not being disturbed will make it last longer than the silicone around your bathroom sink.
Silicone may well stick better to glass than ceramic tiles and porcelain and I would say generally speaking aquarium silicone is much better quality than B&Q special.
Hi,
I'm certainly no expert in the field of silicone but I believe I read on their website that A4L guarantee their aquariums for 10 years, I'm also sure I read somewhere that it will last much longer if kept permanently underwater rather than a a wet dry scenario.
Personally though once a tank has reached 5 years of age I'll start looking towards buying a new one, for the sake of say £500 it's not worth it for me to ruin everything in my room along with deluging the shop with water that I live above.
Having said all that, there aren't that many stories at all on the web of tanks letting go rather than the glass cracking from not being level although it does occasionally happen.
Cheers!
I'm certainly no expert in the field of silicone but I believe I read on their website that A4L guarantee their aquariums for 10 years, I'm also sure I read somewhere that it will last much longer if kept permanently underwater rather than a a wet dry scenario.
Personally though once a tank has reached 5 years of age I'll start looking towards buying a new one, for the sake of say £500 it's not worth it for me to ruin everything in my room along with deluging the shop with water that I live above.
Having said all that, there aren't that many stories at all on the web of tanks letting go rather than the glass cracking from not being level although it does occasionally happen.
Cheers!
Wookii
Member
Aquarium silicone is a lot stronger and more durable than your average DIY bathroom silicone (it's why I use aquarium silicone in my bathroom!) - so I'd hope it would last a lot longer than 10 years of normal use. I certainly don't want to be replacing my 150cm tank every 5-10 years! 
zozo
Member
Most professionals advise a 10 to 15 years lifespan on the silicone in an aquarium... And should be replaced after that...
But I guess this is to say something and give the market a little boost and nobody does know this for real.
Roofers do also use silicone roof coating and guarantee a minimum of 30-year lifespan... 🤔 And this is quite a lot more under the influence of environmental stress.
15 years max for an aquarium and 30 + years on a roof doesn't really add up...
And should be replaced after that...But I guess this is to say something and give the market a little boost and nobody does know this for real.
Roofers do also use silicone roof coating and guarantee a minimum of 30-year lifespan... 🤔 And this is quite a lot more under the influence of environmental stress.
15 years max for an aquarium and 30 + years on a roof doesn't really add up...
Limited sample size here but I retired a 40 gallon (151 liter) breeder after 8 years of continuous service. This was not a high end rimless tank, just a regular plastic rim from a big box chain store. There was an increasing amount of bubbles in a corner. And the top half of the silicone was generally in bad shape, just about where the tank is drained for water changes. After the tank was cleaned out, blisters filled with water were found on the bottom glass pane silicone.
MichaelJ
Member
I bought at least one second hand tank (large) that was already some +5 years old back in the late 80ties that I had an additional 15 years and used on and off, moved around etc. and eventually sold.... I think its really hard to predict what the life expectancy would be. The silicone seams will probably have a limit, but I would expect that to be several decades unless exposed to inordinate stress from not being leveled or tear and wear from extreme conditions when stored etc.. I suppose it is one of those things where the often overused cop-out of your milage may vary truly applies...
Cheers,
Michael
Cheers,
Michael
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rebel
Member
- Joined
- 4 Aug 2015
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- 2,269
This is not a good analogy. A little leak in the roof/gutter is not catastrophic and actually expected while a leak in an aquarium is a little less expected and not acceptable.
My mate got a 2nd hand 120 litre tank in 1990 (don't know the make, but was rimless with single tube lighting hood, might have be Eheim ?) and finally sold it on in 2019, after he had had it 29 years and showed no signs of silicone degradation.
I bought a second hand used EA900 and it's done great, I've rescaped it a few times and moved it about and all seems good still after over 2 years with quite heavy use. They are really well made, though as others said worth having a look at it irl first just in case.
Not sure I'd fully <trust that guarantee>, though marine is definitely more caustic than freshwater.
Wookii
Member
To be fair if you read that whole thread the guy was trying to claim for an issue on a 5 year old tank (a massive one at that too (60" (152cm) x 60" (152cm) x 30" (76cm) deep - 1,770 litres) that was outside the 3 year warranty he'd been given on it (presumably not all their tanks have a 10 year warranty - just the Titan range).
He later went on to admit that he suspected the gloss paint he'd used on the stand/base had degraded the silicone on the base (which was presumably made up from two panels of glass and double skinned due to the base size), as it had turn to 'cheese' when he pulled the tank down and pulled the panels apart, but silicone further away from the base was still strong. So a bit unfair of him to expect A4L to deal with the situation (and they did offer to reseal it for free) when he'd caused it himself.
Interesting point on the paint though, one to be aware of if anyone thinks of painting a stand in situ. Gloss paint obviously contains lots of solvents that aren't going to go well with silicone, but I wouldn't necessarily have considered that until I'd read that thread.
This is very much on my mind at the moment. I have a 200 x 70 x 60 cm tank that is over 20 years old. In continuous use but with waterchanges. It's not just the tank that worries me but the mdf stand it sits on. I think it was made by SeaBray.
Wookii
Member
Why can't I seem to find a journal on this massive tank?!
You should be able to brace the cabinet if there are areas of concern. Interestingly I think it is SeaBray who now OEM manufacture the tanks for Evolution Aqua (now owned by D & D).
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zozo
Member
You are right it isn't...
It wasn't meant to compare a roof with an aquarium, (all tho my kitchen roof usually looks more like a pond during rainy seasons).
But more meant as a statement that silicone literally can still be OK after 30 years on a roof... Makes me question where the common advice of 15 years is based upon when it concerns an aquarium...
On the other hand... Who still uses a + 15-year-old aquarium? There won't be that many, at least I count myself among the nitpickers staring at the scratches and stains... What is seen can't be unseen... 5 to 10 years is a decent write-off in my budget anyway then it's time for a new one (Build). I guess the die-hards with severe MTS, and the ones that stay in the hobby for decades, but in the majority, I guess the average aquarium hobbyist gets bored with it before the lifespan of the tank is over.
Apparently, 10 to 15 years to be on the safe side, but it could last 20 to 30 years before it begins to break down. I've had secondhand tanks of well over 10 years old and the silicon still seemed as good as new. But I guess it depends on the quality of the silicon and the quality of the build. Evolution Aqua are quality products, and at just 5 years old I wouldn't give buying it a second thought.
From what Ive heard and seen :
15-20 years is the upper limit
10-15 years is the mid level limit
8-10 years is the ideal - got your moneys worth time period. I wouldnt go above this on anything larger than a 60cm. My 75cm is 9 years old now and Im looking to replace it soon.
These figures are for a tank that has had water in it continuously and not one thats been left to dry for longer than a month, especially not multiple times.
15-20 years is the upper limit
10-15 years is the mid level limit
8-10 years is the ideal - got your moneys worth time period. I wouldnt go above this on anything larger than a 60cm. My 75cm is 9 years old now and Im looking to replace it soon.
These figures are for a tank that has had water in it continuously and not one thats been left to dry for longer than a month, especially not multiple times.
